1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component, a coaxial connector, and a communication device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile communication devices such as portable telephones use surface-mounting type coaxial connectors capable of switching signal paths. This type of coaxial connector is typically obtained by integrally molding a resin case, a fixed terminal, and a movable terminal having spring characteristics, by insert-molding.
In some cases, however, when a conventional surface-mounting type coaxial connector is mounted on a printed circuit board via reflow soldering, flux contained in cream solder intrudes into the resin case through small gaps between the resin case and the terminals. This causes a problem that the flux adheres to a portion where the fixed terminal and the movable terminal are in contact with each other, and this causes a contact failure.
Furthermore, even if this coaxial connector is not formed by integrally molding the resin case, the fixed terminal, and the movable terminal, contact failure occurs when a gap exists which allows for the capillary effect between the resin case and the terminals.
To overcome the above-described problems with the prior art, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic component, a coaxial connector, and a communication device having a unique construction arranged such that flux does not intrude into the components thereof during mounting.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic component including an insulative case, a plurality of surface-mounting terminals mounted on the insulative case, and a notch provided in the insulative case to receive the lead portion of at least one of the plurality of terminals. In this electronic component, a notch defines a clearance to prevent the occurrence of the capillary effect, the clearance being provided between the notch and the solder fillet portion of the at least one lead portion.
Another preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a coaxial connector including an insulative case having a hollow portion into which the central contact of a mating coaxial connector is inserted, a fixed terminal and a movable terminal for surface mounting, the fixed terminal and movable terminal being mounted in the hollow portion of the insulative case, a surface-mounting external terminal mounted on the outside of the insulative case, the surface-mounting external terminal being connected with the outer conductor of the mating coaxial connector, and notches provided in the insulative case, to receive lead portions of each of the fixed terminal and movable terminal, each of the notches having a clearance to prevent the occurrence of the capillary effect between each of the notches and the solder fillet portion of the lead portions.
Since a clearance is provided between the solder fillet portion of a terminal such as the fixed terminal or the movable terminal and the insulative case, no capillary effect of flux occurs between the solder fillet portion and the insulative case. When an electronic component such as a coaxial connector is mounted on a printed circuit board, therefore, flux does not intrude into the components through the gap between the terminal and the insulative case. Preferably, the notch in the insulative case has a clearance to prevent the occurrence of capillary effect, between the notch and the soldered portion of the lead portion, as well. This allows the notch to have clearances all around the lead portion, and further reduces the likelihood that the flux more will intrude into the components.
Even if a clearance is provided between the solder fillet portion and the insulative case, the flux will move beyond the solder fillet portion and will intrude into the insulative case through the gaps between the insulative case and the terminal, when an excess amount of solder is applied. Therefore, by providing a groove intersecting at least one terminal, on the divided surfaces of the insulative case, the groove provided on a divided surface secures a gap having which prevents capillary effect between the insulative case and the terminal, and thereby prevents the flux from flowing.
Moreover, by configuring the groove to have a substantially V-shaped cross-section, the removal of the insulative case from a mold is facilitated, and molding failure is greatly reduced. Also, by configuring the groove to extend in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the flowing direction of the flux, the intrusion of the flux is reliably prevented.
The communication device in accordance with various preferred embodiments of the present invention can achieve a high reliability by being equipped with the electronic component and the coaxial connector having the above-described features.
The features, characteristics, elements and advantages of the present invention will be clear from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.